Treasure
by Sharn-sharn
Summary: Dewstrike had always wanted to be a father, but just how far was he willing to go to achieve that dream?
1. Part One

**Part One**

When Dewstrike was a kit, he had always dreamed of being a father.

He didn't know why he cherished that particular dream so much. Maybe it was due to the fact that his father, Snowfoot, had been largely absent in his life.

It had only been his mother, Pebblefur, his little sister, Frostbreath, and himself.

And of course, he knew that he had developed his maternal urges early on due to that fact that his sister was very frail and could easily fall ill at any time.

When she was born, Frostbreath hadn't been breathing.

Those few seconds at her birth had been critical to her growth, and since she hadn't been breathing when she was born, it had affected her later in life with her breathing problems.

Dewstrike and their mother had known that any moment they spent with her could have been their last.

That was why he took care of her and cherished her to the best of his ability.

But, even though he had his sister and his mother, it hadn't been enough.

More than anything else in the world, he wanted to be a father so very badly.

It especially didn't help things when Frostbreath, then Frostkit, met her future mate, Pinefoot, then Pinepaw.

Pinefoot had mentored his sister, and ever so slowly, they had fallen in love.

Dewstrike witnessed the entire thing.

And it was then that he wished that he had that connection- the type of connection that Pinefoot and Frostbreath had.

The kind of connection that drove his parents to betray their respective Clans to simply be together.

To love someone else so very much- Dewstrike wanted that connection.

He wanted it so very much.

He got that chance when he met Cherryshine.

At first glance, Dewstrike found that she was beautiful.

Her pelt was a flaming red, and her eyes were an eye-catching green.

But appearances were deceiving, Dewstrike found.

Cherryshine was the most difficult she-cat he had come across- she was loud, blunt, and fiery in personality, and she _always_ came to the point.

She was insufferable.

She was an apprentice when Dewstrike met her, and he had been forced to train her for that single day, and he thought he would rue it when her present mentor told her of the deed.

Apparently, her mentor was going on some hunting patrol with her mate, and it couldn't be missed.

So, here Dewstrike was, about to put up with some mouse-brain of an apprentice that he didn't even _want_ to train.

He arrived at the training hollow where Cherrypaw's mentor had told him to meet her.

"Fox dung," he cursed under his breath, directing a glance around the hollow, finding no trace of his temporary apprentice. "Just _why_ would Blossomcloud put me up to this if her apprentice isn't even _punctual_?"

"I'm up here," a smug voice sounded from above, making Dewstrike jerk and look frantically to where he thought the voice was.

When he looked to the left, he heard the voice sigh, then snap, "Up here, _stupid_! Not down there!"

Dewstrike frowned, before doing the as the voice instructed, grimacing somewhat when he was confronted with a pair of cheeky green eyes.

"Come down from there," he called, growing increasingly frustrated when she _did not_ do as he asked and _remained in the tree_.

"You should come up!" she giggled, bright green eyes glittering in amusement. "It's really fun!"

Dewstrike growled; StarClan was this apprentice cheeky!

In a way, she kind of reminded him of himself before he became a warrior, and thus had had to grow up, becoming progressively more reserved than when he had been in his apprentice days.

" _Come down from there right now, Cherrypaw!_ " he yelled, finally losing his composure, " _Before you fall out, or worse!_ "

Cherrypaw sighed, muttering, "Okay, okay." She slid down from the tree that she was currently occupying and fixed him with a fiery glare. "You're such a letdown!" she spat. "I much prefer Blossomcloud! At least _she_ lets me climb trees!"

"You're not here to climb trees," Dewstrike snapped back. "You're here to train, and that's exactly what I'm going to make you do."

"But-" Cherrypaw started, only to be cut off.

"If this is how Blossomcloud lets you train, so help me," Dewstrike seethed. "Because this is _not_ the way to go to train an apprentice."

"How would you know?" Cherrypaw said loudly, green eyes narrowed to the point of slits. "You're not even my _real_ mentor! And speaking of mentors, where _is_ Blossomcloud anyway?!"

"She wanted some time with her mate," Dewstrike answered shortly. "And she asked me to cover for her. That's the only reason I'm here, and if it'd been anyone else, I would have said no, as Blossomcloud is like a mother to me. I guess I never knew what I was getting myself into when I accepted her request."

"What does that mean?!" Cherrypaw cried angrily.

"It means," he mewed softly, "That I got saddled with a _brat_ like you."

"Well…" Cherrypaw seemed to struggle to come up with a suitable retort, and eventually settled on mewing: "Well, I'm sad that Blossomcloud is gone if I have to talk to a cat like _you_!"

"Is that all you could come up with?" Dewstrike said snidely.

"Well, you suck at coming up with insults!" Cherrypaw yelled.

Dewstrike sighed; had he really sunk so low as to argue with an apprentice?

"You're even worse," he found himself answering.

Yes, it seemed like he was.

His first meeting with Cherryshine, then Cherrypaw, hadn't gone so well.

From that point, they had an antagonistic relationship, and everytime they saw each other, they would bicker continuously, and it went on for so long, that it soon became routine.

That is, routine to insult each other whenever they had the chance.

If they didn't, then they knew something was wrong with the other.

When Dewstrike woke up that morning, he knew that something was going to go horribly wrong. He could literally feel it churning in his gut, and it made him more solemn than he was used to.

He had to go and see his sister.

He knew something was wrong, but he didn't know _what_.

Had Frostpaw had another attack?

StarClan, he certainly hoped not!

Dewstrike completely forwent his morning wash, skipping it in favour of seeing his sister as soon as possible.

He padded toward the medicine cat's den, and when he poked his head in, he was unsurprised to find to Frostpaw wasn't in there. Its only inhabitants was the medicine cat, Mosslight, and her apprentice, Cloverleaf.

If Frostpaw wasn't with Mosslight, then she was probably with her friend/unofficial mentor, Pinefoot.

His sister couldn't be left alone at any point of the day- else she'd suffer an attack and no one would be there to witness it, and she would die, all alone with no comfort.

That was why either her guardian, Mosslight, or her friend, Pinefoot, was there for.

And Dewstrike, if she asked.

But he knew that she wouldn't. Frostpaw could be stubborn that way, he supposed.

Dewstrike found his sister in the training hollow with Pinefoot, and he almost growled in annoyance.

Frostpaw, his dear, precious little sister, was being taught how to _fight_.

By _Pinefoot_.

Dewstrike knew that he shouldn't be surprised- after all, it was Frostpaw's greatest dream to become a warrior.

He knew that her urge to become a warrior, to feel _useful_ , was as strong as his urge to make bonds, _connections_ \- to feel the joy of being a _father_.

He wanted to become a father so desperately- and he found that he wanted to teach his kits all he knew, and _love_ them with all his heart.

He just hadn't found the right cat to share that joy with yet.

And sometimes, Dewstrike found that he envied the connection that his parents shared. Pebblefur and Snowfoot loved each so very, _very_ much, and that love was strong enough to last.

Dewstrike wanted that love.

He _wanted_ that connection.

He just hadn't found the right cat yet.

Dewstrike watched in amusement as his sister failed to execute an extraordinarily easy move- a move that Dewstrike himself had mastered in only the first moon of his training.

He grinned, his lips curling upwards to reveal his teeth.

That move seemed to gain the pair's attention, and he watched as his sister swerved around to see what her friend was currently staring at.

Pinefoot looked as if he were far off in another world, and in his opinion, Dewstrike thought that the warrior was a little strange.

But when Pinefoot's amber eyes came to rest on Frostpaw, a fond look glinting in their depths, Dewstrike felt his own eyes begin to soften.

It was as clear as day that Pinefoot was in love with Frostpaw, and whether she knew it or not, she felt the same way.

She just didn't know it yet.

Dewstrike shook his head fondly; Frostpaw really could be clueless sometimes.

But that was just her, he supposed.

"Dewstrike," Frostpaw murmured, and at the amusement on his face, her lips pulled into a downward frown. "What are you doing here?"

"You mean I'm not allowed to visit my own sister?" Dewstrike teased.

"Skip the pleasantries," his sister grumbled, her blue eyes sparking unhappiness. "And tell me why you're here," her eyes sharpened as she briskly added, "And it better not be to laugh at me, either."

Dewstrike hesitated; should he really tell her that he thought something was amiss?

 _No._

It was decided then.

He wouldn't tell her what he thought.

"It's, uh, it's nothing," Dewstrike responded, and he tried to ignore the pang in his chest at his sister's mildly hurt face.

"Aren't brothers and sisters supposed to share _everything_?" Frostpaw whispered, her eyes looking incredibly blue against the white of her fur. "Because I _knew_ that you wanted to say something, and now that you refuse to say it, I have to say, I'm getting a little bit fascinated."

Dewstrike winced despite himself- it was never a good thing when his sister got fascinated with something.

The object in question usually died when Frostpaw was done with it.

"It's nothing important," Dewstrike was quick to respond.

"It has to be important if you came all the way from the camp," Pinefoot added mildly, his dreamy gaze focused on nothing but Frostpaw.

Dewstrike had to admit that he was impressed by Pinefoot's devotion. Most cats would have upped and left by that point, when they realised that his sister was harder to train than most. But Pinefoot hadn't, he'd stuck by Frostpaw the whole way, and in Dewstrike's opinion, there wasn't a better cat suited for her than Pinefoot himself.

"Fine," Dewstrike sighed. "I guess I just had a bad feeling."

"And you thought it'd be for me," Frostpaw responded, her voice very dry.

"You weren't in Mosslight's den when you usually are," he defended.

"You should know by now that Cinderstar made me an official apprentice by now," his sister mewed softly.

Dewstrike blinked. "Of course I did," he murmured. "What made you think that I forgot?"

"You're just… never there anymore." Frostpaw abruptly turned away, and to his amusement, he saw that she was blushing.

"I'm a warrior now if you haven't forgotten, Frostpaw," Dewstrike pointed out.

"I haven't forgotten," his sister defended.

"Then why are you blushing?"

Frostpaw didn't reply, merely ducking her head even lower than it currently was, her eyes desperately seeking Pinefoot's help.

The other warrior relented, though his face was stern around his eyes and mouth. "We should head back," he murmured. "It's getting late."

"We should," Frostpaw agreed.

Dewstrike decided to walk ahead, giving the pair some alone time. By the time he reached camp, he was already in a foul mood, though StarClan knew why.

His fellow Clanmates already knew what he was like when he was in such a mood, as well as to best leave him alone.

Dewstrike appreciated their effort, even though he barely felt this way most of the time.

So, when he entered the camp that day, his Clanmates avoided him like he had a deadly disease, and he was thankful for it.

It gave him time to think.

Unfortunately, he was going to be denied that right.

"What's wrong with Mouse-brain?" a _very_ familiar voice mewed.

Dewstrike sighed in frustration; he just could _not_ catch a break, could he?

He knew who it was without having to turn around. Only one person in the Clan would dare call him that name to his face.

It was ThunderClan's biggest nuisance, Cherryshine, who, upon becoming a warrior only two moons ago, thought she was the most important cat since Thunderstar himself.

"What do you _want_ , Cherryshine?" Dewstrike groaned, looking at his paws, because looking at _anything_ but her was the next best thing.

If Dewstrike had turned at that exact moment, he would have seen the warrior in question frown. "What's up with _you_ , Mouse-brain?" Cherryshine asked curiously. "It's as if the sun has risen again because you haven't insulted me yet!"

"Do you _want_ me to insult you?" Dewstrike asked pointedly.

Cherryshine sniffed. "Uh, _no_ ," she answered. "It's bad enough when my own _brother_ insults me. But seriously, there has to be _something_ wrong if we aren't sticking to routine."

 _Routine?_

Dewstrike laughed crudely and sharply, and he was sure that he had traumatised a few kits nearby. "The world isn't routine, Cherryshine. It's a harsh, cold place that can't be taken lightly. Stop being so immature and _grow up_."

Cherryshine flinched slightly at his harsh words, and against his will, his eyes softened. "Look," he sighed. "I'm not trying to be mean or condescending, I'm just trying to say that being a warrior isn't just fun and games. When I first became an apprentice, I thought that, too. But, with Iceheart as my mentor, I quickly got over it."

"And thank StarClan you did!" another voice exclaimed. "I don't know what I would have done with you if you hadn't!"

Once again, Dewstrike didn't have to turn to see who it was; as that was how familiar the voice had become during their moons of training.

"Iceheart," he greeted dryly. "How very nice to see you again."

"Yes," his former mentor beamed.

Dewstrike sighed in exasperation, knowing just _how_ annoying his aunt could be.

After all, he had had to deal with her for nearly six moons, and, despite her name, she was one of the loudest, most annoying cats in the entirety of ThunderClan.

Only second to Cherryshine.

"Now," Iceheart began cheerily. "Why was the grumpy, cold Dewstrike giving a lecture to the poor, innocent Cherryshine?"

 _Cold?_

His eyes narrowed, and he growled, "I'm not cold! And nor is Cherryshine innocent! She has to be one of the most annoying cats in the entire Clan. She's a nuisance, and I don't have time for nuisances!"

Cherryshine looked hurt, and it reflected deep in the depths of her eyes; and right now, it looked as if those green orbs could freeze anyone in their tracks with how vulnerable they looked at the current moment.

Then, they shut off, becoming blank, cold green sheets of ice.

"If I'm a nuisance, then you're an _annoyance_!" she hissed, green eyes flashing.

Dewstrike just stared at her, and when she huffed angrily and turned away, he frowned.

"I never want to speak with you again," Cherryshine seethed.

And, with a flick of her fiery ginger tail, she was gone.

Dewstrike sighed as he watched the she-cat's departing back. He turned to Iceheart, muttering, "How am I supposed to deal with such a demanding she-cat?"

Iceheart merely winked. "Go and talk to her," she answered. "And maybe apologise as well."

Dewstrike nearly groaned aloud in annoyance. "And what will that do?" he exclaimed, wheeling around on her. "She already said that she doesn't want to speak with me again."

Iceheart nudged him in the direction that Cherryshine had taken off into, murmuring, "You don't really know until you've tried."

Dewstrike sighed again. "I guess you're right," he conceded.

Iceheart chuckled. "Go after her then, Dewstrike."

And Dewstrike did exactly that.

He padded after her and, since he was bigger and stronger, he easily caught up to her.

"Hey," he mewed, panting a little. "I need to talk to you."

Cherryshine took one look at him before scoffing. "And what are you going to say? _Sorry_?"

"Yes," Dewstrike agreed. "I was."

Her eyes narrowed. "You can't fool me," she said loudly.

"I'm _not_ trying to fool you," Dewstrike argued heatedly.

"Prove it then."

 _Prove it?_ "How?" he demanded.

Cherryshine shrugged. "Oh, I don't know," she answered, and Dewstrike could have slapped himself in his frustration. "Maybe you could come hunting with me."

"Of course," Dewstrike blurted, and he knew he sounded silly when Cherryshine directed a look of disbelief at him.

"Really?" she asked, and the disbelieving tone was still present in her voice. "You're serious?"

"It's the least I can do," Dewstrike answered defensively. "So, let's just get it over and done with."

Cherryshine shot him a _look_. But then she sighed. "Okay," she mewed. "Let's do it."

And it was the beginning of a special, though slightly twisted friendship.

Though, the pair did _not_ know that at the time.

One morning, Dewstrike was sitting alone, feasting on an extra-large vole that he _knew_ he deserved after catching it himself.

Then, out of nowhere, he sees a pair of fiery red paws, then, as he flicks his gaze up, he sees a pair of bright green eyes hidden under a patch of ginger fur.

It was Cherryshine.

"Hey," she nonchalantly greeted, taking a seat opposite to him and helping herself to _his_ vole. "What's up?"

"What's up?" Dewstrike answered darkly. "What's up is _you_ eating _my_ vole."

"Relax," she stated offhandedly. "It's big enough for two anyway, so stop fretting."

"But I'm hungry," he complained.

"So am I," she retorted.

And then she bent her head and took a bite of the vole.

A vole that belonged to _Dewstrike._

Dewstrike sighed in exasperation before tipping his own head and taking a bite out of the now _shared_ vole.

Unknown to the pair, they both raised their head at the exact same time.

Dewstrike's breath got caught in his throat as a pair of lovely green eyes pierced his. Cherryshine looked unsure- an expression that was _never_ present on her face.

Usually, a calm, confident expression would take hold on her face, and she was rarely ever scared. Whenever they had a border skirmish with one of the other Clans, Cherryshine would rush headlong into battle, completely disregarding herself.

Maybe that was why they had a love/hate relationship.

And now that Dewstrike thought about it, Cherryshine really had grown up in the past moon.

When she became a warrior, she had seemed to think that she was the best thing since Thunderstar himself, and she'd been loud, rude, immature, and brash.

Now, after their 'talk', Cherryshine had really grown.

She wasn't as immature as she had been, nor was she as rude. But she was still loud and brash, as that made up her personality.

"What is it?" Dewstrike asked calmly, in response to the unsure look Cherryshine sported.

Cherryshine hesitated, then she deflated. "It's nothing," she whispered. "Don't worry about it."

Dewstrike gave her a _look_.

A few moons later, he and Cherryshine were talking.

This time around, their relationship wasn't as hostile as it had been in prior moons.

"What's your dream for the future?" Cherryshine asked curiously.

Dewstrike shrugged; although he knew very well what his dream was, he refused to tell her, at the risk of being teased. He had learned early on that some things were best kept secret.

He had told only one other of his dream.

He had told Cedarclaw, then Cedarkit, of his dream. And it had only resulted in the dark brown kit laughing at it, calling it "stupid".

Dewstrike kept his lips sealed after that.

"You mean you don't know?" Cherryshine exclaimed, in response to his shrug. "You're _such_ a mouse-brain. Well, if _you_ want to know what _my_ dream is, then I'll say it right now."

"You're going to say it whether I want you to or not," Dewstrike deadpanned.

Cherryshine nodded eagerly, before launching into her speech: "My dream in the future is to find a cat who will take of me- a cat who will _love_ me for _me_. And then, after we've been together for a few moons, I want to have kits. I want to become a mother."

Dewstrike was… surprised, considering who this was.

He had half-expected her to wish for something frivolous- such as becoming deputy or Clan leader.

But no.

She wanted to become a _mother_.

Dewstrike cleared his throat. "I, uh, I want to become a father," he said awkwardly. "I've wanted it ever since I was a kit."

Surprisingly, Cherryshine didn't laugh.

"Is it because of your sister?" she mewed, looking interested.

Dewstrike, feeling incredibly awkward, looked down at his paws. "Sort of," he began. "I mean, Frostbreath means the world to me. But it's also because of my father, Snowfoot. When I was kit, he was never there, and so I resolved to become a better father then he ever was."

At the end of his 'speech', he snapped his mouth shut, feeling vastly embarrassed.

Cherryshine looked… he realised he didn't know how she looked. It was an expression that he had never been born witness to.

And, quicker than he could blink, it was gone.

Cherryshine's face was back to its usual expression.

That is, her usual grin.

And with how close she was, Dewstrike couldn't help but notice how bright her eyes were, or even the eye-catching ginger of her fur.

It was then that he realised that she was beautiful.

Dewstrike found himself blushing- because, how could he _not_?

Cherryshine was beautiful, and that was that.

It was about two moons later when Dewstrike finally realised something.

It was the day when his sister, Frostbreath, announced began her kitting.

It had become a usual occurrence by that time to see a white she-cat lumbering around the camp, her belly swollen with kits, accompanied by her ever faithful mate, Pinefoot.

Dewstrike couldn't help but feel his eyes soften whenever he caught sight of his sister.

She had come a long way in the past six moons, and he couldn't be more proud of her.

And also of her mate.

Dewstrike certainly approved of the brown tabby- after all, he had been Frostbreath's rock the entirety of the time that she had been an apprentice, and before that, too.

And now they were going to have kits together.

Despite feeling happy for the pair, Dewstrike couldn't help but feel envious, too.

He wanted kits more than anything.

He wanted the connection they shared, too.

He wanted it so, _so_ desperately.

But he hadn't found the right cat to share that with yet.

When Frostbreath finally went into labour, Pinefoot was with her the whole way.

He soothed her through her pain, as well as through the delirium of giving birth.

But something horrible happened.

His sister had an attack.

Right when she was in the middle of giving birth to her last kit.

When Dewstrike padded inside to take a look at his nieces/nephews, he got the shock of his life.

Frostbreath was on her side, gasping for breath; foam, blood, and saliva dripping from her parted lips.

Meanwhile, Mosslight was doing her best to make his sister comfortable, forcing coltsfoot and juniper berries through her parted lips.

Frostbreath coughed once before slumping unconscious.

Dewstrike was horrified- mainly due to the fact that he hadn't ever witnessed one of her attacks, so he didn't know how aggressive they could be.

Mosslight, seeming to notice his presence, perked her head up. "Oh, you're Frostbreath's brother. Don't worry, she'll be fine. The birth just took a lot out of her, that's all."

Dewstrike let out a silent exclamation of relief, before turning to his sister's mate, Pinefoot.

"The kits?"

Pinefoot nodded, his normal dreamy gaze fixed on his mate. "A son and a daughter. When Frostbreath wakes up, we can name them together."

Dewstrike sighed. "I'm happy for the both of you, I just hope that I can have kits of my own in the future."

"I'm sure you will," Pinefoot reassured calmly, though he still gazed fondly at his sleeping mate and kits.

Dewstrike shifted uncomfortably. "I'll be leaving then," he murmured.

When Pinefoot didn't reply, he took that as his cue to leave.

When he left the nursery, a blast of cool air hit his face, making him sigh wearily.

If only he had a cat like Frostbreath had Pinefoot.

 _If only…_

"If only…" he muttered.

"If only what?" a voice asked.

Dewstrike jerked when Cherryshine literally appeared out of thin air.

"Where did you come from?" he demanded.

Cherryshine shrugged in that casual way of hers that still seemed to remain elegant, despite her slumped shoulders and slouched figure.

"I just came back from hunting," she answered. "What about you?"

Dewstrike hesitated. "My sister just had her kitting," he finally answered, though his expression was somewhat glum.

 _I would do anything to become a father._

"Ooh," Cherryshine leaned forward, looking vastly interested. "What gender are they and how many are there?"

"A son and a daughter," Dewstrike answered shortly.

Cherryshine seemed to pout, though Dewstrike couldn't tell with the darkness obscuring her face.

All he could seem to make out was the outline of her face and her lovely green eyes.

 _Wait…_ lovely?

Dewstrike blinked, but he could not seem to shake off the thought no matter how hard he tried. It stayed in there, firmly planted.

And now that he thought about it, Cherryshine really _did_ have lovely eyes.

Lovely eyes that went well with her ginger fur…

Dewstrike shook his head, desperately telling his mind to stop coming up with thoughts like that.

But Cherryshine really was beautiful, even _if_ her personality was what made her so sour.

But he knew her better than most, and he _liked_ that he could stand her.

He _liked_ the way she'd pout when she didn't get her own way, or the way she'd angrily puff out her cheeks when she was mad, or even the way she'd just pop out of nowhere and just help herself to his food.

Dewstrike liked _everything_.

But what did it mean?

He knew that Cherryshine had put up with him at his worst, and the same could be said for him.

Did… did that mean that he _felt_ something for her other than friendship?

He knew the feelings were there, buried deep within, but another part of him denied having any part of it.

 _I'm… I'm_ not _in love with Cherryshine_ , he denied inwardly.

But the painful truth was that he really _was_ in love with her.

He loved her, and it was the most terrifying feeling that he had ever felt.

Terrifying because he had never felt this way about someone before, but also terrified because of the certainty that Cherryshine would reject him.

He knew that she would.

But Dewstrike didn't want to lose that connection. No, not when he had finally secured it. A connection that he had yearned for since had been a tiny kit seasons before.

"What are you thinking about, Mouse-brain?" Cherryshine whispered, those lovely eyes of hers boring into his own amber ones.

There it was.

The _nickname_ that Cherryshine had bestowed upon him when she was only an apprentice.

Oddly enough, Dewstrike felt fond of it.

Just saying that wretched name aloud gave him some peace of mind.

It gave him the peace of mind that maybe, just maybe, Cherryshine cared about him the same way he cared about her.

Or so he hoped.

"What are thinking about?" she repeated, this time with more impatience. She had resorted back to her prodding, poking, and nosy personality.

This time, Dewstrike minded.

"None of your business!" he snarled back at her.

Cherryshine flinched back as if she'd been struck, and there was a single moment in which pure _pain_ was present on her face. But then, like all those moons ago, her face smoothed out and her eyes hardened into impenetrable sheets of green ice.

"Then… then I guess it's none of my business knowing you then!" she snarled back, and he was overcome at the sight of her misty eyes.

Was she… _crying_ for him?

When Cherryshine intended to turn around and storm off like she did in the majority of their arguments, Dewstrike panicked.

He had always taken comfort in the fact, that they though they may be angry at each other for a time, everything would be alright in the end.

They would always be _friends_ in the end.

But right now, he _couldn't_ take comfort.

Because he could lose her for _good_ this time.

Dewstrike didn't want that.

He wanted to… to keep the connection he had with her.

He wanted to spend the rest of his _life_ with her.

But now… now that had all been ruined with a few careless words.

Dewstrike would repair this rift. He would repair it if it was the last thing he'd do.

So, he raised his head, fixed his gaze on her departing ginger form and yelled with all the desperation his voice seemed to possess-

"Cherryshine!"

The cat in question suddenly froze, one paw hanging in the air.

Ever so slowly, her paw hit the ground and she turned her head. Wide green eyes locked onto his, and they didn't look as impenetrable or cold as they had previously.

No, they looked vulnerable and _lost_.

Like…

 _Like a kit_ , his mind whispered.

Dewstrike had always known Cherryshine to be hot-headed with a vicious temper to match. He knew that she was storm- raging and vicious, while he, himself, was the wind- calming and serene.

But right now, none of that mattered.

 _None of it_.

Not if it meant losing Cherryshine forever.

Her mouth was hanging open, her eyes wide in questioning, and it was as if she knew what he was thinking, because her eyes abruptly hardened.

"What is it?!" she spat, green eyes as hard as ice, and then, her voice turned pleading as she went on, "What exactly is it that you _want_ from me, Dewstrike?! Because, honestly, I'm getting really tired with fighting you all the time!"

Dewstrike sighed, turning downcast eyes to his paws. "What do you think?" he muttered.

"What do I think?!" Cherryshine repeated, outraged. " _What do I think?!_ You're just- _gahh_! There's just no point in trying to explain it to you!"

"The point in _what_?" Dewstrike mewed, and he was irritated to say the least. No, he was _more_ than irritated.

Cherryshine could do that to you, he guessed.

Cherryshine looked as if she were about to _explode_ , and with Cherryshine, that was never a good thing. Her eyes were smouldering like bright green fire, and her tail was lashing in what he perceived to be anger and annoyance.

"The point that I'm horribly, _pathetically_ in love with you!" she shrieked, and then she froze, as if she had just admitted some horrible secret.

Dewstrike froze, too, his eyes as wide as hers.

Her words echoed in his mind.

 _The point that I'm horribly,_ pathetically _in love with you!_

" _What_ did you just say?!" he practically demanded.

Cherryshine didn't back down, and her eyes were two fumes of green poison. "I'm in love with you," she repeated, and her voice was steadier than he would have expected from someone confessing their love: "And I'm not afraid to admit it, either."

Dewstrike was shocked to say the least.

When he had exited the nursery only minutes earlier, he had expected a refreshing walk alone with his thoughts to wander.

He certainly had not expected to hear Cherryshine- yes, _Cherryshine_ \- declare her love for him.

To say that he was pleased was an understatement.

But just how exactly was one supposed to go about to responding to something like that?

Was he supposed to be all sappy and declare: " _Oh, Cherryshine, you're my one and only true love, and I'll forever love you_ "?

Dewstrike didn't think so.

Instead, he merely swallowed the sudden lump that was in his throat and flicked his gaze up from his paws to Cherryshine, who had suddenly started acting as if a random blade of grass was the single most interesting thing in the world.

"I thought you weren't scared to admit that fact," Dewstrike finally said after a long, awkward silence, during which she continued to stare at the _interesting_ blade of grass instead of himself.

Cherryshine looked up then, a wry smile on her lips. "I know," she murmured. "But right now, I _do_ feel sad. I love you, yes, but you probably don't feel the same way."

Dewstrike felt a somewhat mischievous smirk pull at his lips. "What makes you think that I _don't_?" he asked slowly.

Cherryshine gave him a _look_. "You haven't _said_ anything about it yet," she mewed pointedly.

Dewstrike purred in amusement, and he padded over to her, seating himself in front of her. "I'm saying something _now_ ," he pointed out. "And do you know what it is?"

"Enlighten me then," she purred.

His smirk widened, and Dewstrike felt lighter than he had in moons. "I feel something rather… _special_ for a good friend of mine," he said slowly. "And I have no idea as to how I'm going to tell her."

Cherryshine seemed to catch on, for her eyes lit up. So, with a happy, satisfied glimmer in her eyes, she mewed, "Personally, I think that you should tell her how you feel. You'd be surprised by how she'd react," she added with her own smirk in place.

"Really?" Dewstrike drawled. "So, should I just tell her upfront then?"

"Of course," Cherryshine insisted, a giddy smile on her lips.

"Well then," he mewed. "I guess I _will_ be upfront about it. No dilly dallying, and no hesitations."

"Just say it already, Mouse-brain," she quietly urged.

Dewstrike chuckled in response, but he faced her at his full height, which was slightly bigger than her lither, smaller form.

"Okay then," he responded, looking her deep in the eyes. "Cherryshine, I love you."

Cherryshine abruptly screamed in glee. "Finally!" she shrieked. " _Finally!_ I swear, Dewstrike, that you're as dense as your sister when it comes to the topic of love!"

"Was that supposed to be a compliment?" Dewstrike asked, smirking again.

Cherryshine merely grinned in response, her eyes glittering in contentment. "Take it however you want," she responded cheekily. Her grin grew larger as she added, "And now that we're mates, we can sleep beside each other every night, and together, we'll have _dozens_ of cute little kits-"

When Dewstrike discreetly coughed, she shot him a glare and continued on as if she had never been interrupted, "-and they'll have _my_ magnificent fur and _your_ bright, beautiful amber eyes!"

Dewstrike shot her an amused glance. "Bright, beautiful amber eyes?" he asked dryly.

Her grin faded to a pout, and she whacked his shoulder with her tail. "You're so mean, Dewstrike!" she complained.

Dewstrike merely laughed in response.

He finally had what he wanted.


	2. Part Two

**Part Two**

"Watch this, Dewstrike!"

"No, no, no! Don't watch _him_ , watch _me_ , Dewstrike!"

Dewstrike watched on in amusement as the two kits playfully wrestled with each other on the nursery floor.

Oakkit's distinctive light-brown pelt seemed to easily sink into the ground, camouflaging him. If it weren't for the fact that his sister, Petalkit, was lying on top of him, then Dewstrike would have dismissed the kit as a mere spot on the ground.

Frostbreath's kits were nearly six moons now, and they would be apprenticed soon- but to who, Dewstrike had no idea.

Maybe it would be himself, though he quickly dismissed that thought.

After all, it was _incredibly_ rare for an apprentice's own kin to mentor them.

Dewstrike knew that he was the only recent exception- not that he knew exactly _why_ it was so.

The kits on the ground continued squealing, and when Dewstrike had had enough, he cleared his throat and cut in.

"I think that's enough for now, kits," he said dryly, and a smirk came over his face when Oakkit and his sister began to immediately protest. "Besides, it's way past your bedtime. Who knows what your parents will say if you're still awake when they get back."

"But, Dewstrike!" Oakkit whined. "I don't wanna!"

"Yeah," Petalkit added. "We're not tired."

Dewstrike rolled his eyes. "That's what you _always_ say when I wound up babysitting you lot. Pinefoot won't be too happy if you're still up, and Frostbreath will make you sleep anyway. So don't even _think_ of disrupting _her_ rest. And I'm tired, too. So, when they get back from the Gathering, I'll make my own way out."

"You only want to leave so you can see Cherryshine," Oakkit mewed, and when Dewstrike glanced at him sharply, the kit's amber eyes were innocent.

"What?" the kit questioned, and when he continued glaring at him, Oakkit squeaked. "S-Stop looking at me like that, Dewstrike! Besides, I meant what I said! You really _do_ want to see Cherryshine, don't you?"

Dewstrike sighed. "Of course I do," he muttered, gazing at his sister's spawn wearily.

"Because you _love_ her, don't you?" Petalkit piped in sweetly, her lips pulled into a devious grin.

"Yeah," he answered, immediately on the defensive. Whenever Petalkit got a look like that on her face, it always spelled for trouble.

"And you want to have kits with her, right?" Oakkit suddenly tossed in, and when he only nodded somewhat hesitantly, the kit grinned a grin that lit up the entirety of his face. "Then do it, Dewstrike! 'Cause me and Petalkit don't wanna be the only kits in the nursery anymore! We really wanna have someone else to play with besides each other. And what better way than to have more kits? It'll solve _all_ of our problems."

Dewstrike flushed, and he glared intensely at the unaffected kit below him. "Mouse-brain," he snapped. "You can't just ask someone that out of the blue! Besides, just _whose_ problem would this solve? Because, as far as I know, Cherryshine isn't sure if she wants to have kits _at the current time._ "

Oakkit wasn't in the least bit intimidated, and he continued to grin, eventually dissolving into a smile that dimpled the corners of his lips. "Whose problems does it solve?" the kit snickered at the question. "Mine and Petalkit's, duh! And yours, too," he added when Dewstrike glowered down at him. "We want someone else to play with, and you want kits. So, when the kits come, then everything we want will have come true!" Oakkit beamed at the end of his little speech, all the while Dewstrike continued to glare down at him with an unimpressed look on his face.

"No need to look so grumpy, Dewstrike," Petalkit giggled. "We were only joking."

"No, we weren't," Oakkit protested, and immediately, his sister turned to him and the pair began to argue.

"Yes, we were!" Petalkit mewed sharply.

" _No_ , we weren't!" Oakkit shouted. "We were _not_ joking!"

When their voices began to rise in the midst of their cries, Dewstrike decided he'd had enough.

" _That's enough!_ " he yelled above them.

The pair flinched and turned to him, peering up at him with wide, pleading eyes.

"Go to sleep, kits," he ordered in a no-nonsense manner. "Pinefoot and Frostbreath should be back any minute now, so if you're not asleep by the time that they _do_ , then I really _won't_ listen to your so-called " _solution_ "."

Oakkit and Petalkit gasped in unison. "You're actually going to do it?" they asked simultaneously.

Dewstrike grinned over his shoulder. "Believe it or not," he mewed. "But I actually want kits just as much as you two do."

The kits grinned back in response.

When Dewstrike settled beside Cherryshine that night for sleep, he discreetly nudged her, and when she snapped open weary, sleep-darkened green eyes, he grinned at her sheepishly.

"So, kits?" he offered.

His only response was a whack to the head by his mate's tail.

 **. . .**

"Dewstrike?"

"Hm?" he turned his head to find Cherryshine looking up at him quizzingly. "Yeah, Cherryshine? What is it?"

His nosy, simply over the top, _crazy_ mate looked strangely _shy_ for some reason that Dewstrike couldn't comprehend.

"Well," Cherryshine answered, and there was a touch of embarrassment added as she said, "What you said the other night… isitstillvalid?"

Dewstrike blinked, then an amused smile tugged at his lips. "I can't understand you when you talk so fast, Cherryshine."

To his complete and utter surprise, his mate actually _blushed_.

 _Blushed!_

Then, she blurted, "I really want to have kits with you, too, Dewstrike!"

Dewstrike froze, before gazing down at her with wide eyes.

Cherryshine stood strong and proud under his gaze, but there was a strange timidness to her expression, he noticed.

His mate was embarrassed.

Dewstrike suddenly laughed, and when the sound escaped his lips, it was _Cherryshine's_ turn to blink.

Then her half-closed eyes shot into a glower, with her lips pursed tightly.

He merely laughed harder at her expression.

She looked ridiculous with the way she was glaring up at him right now.

"You think what I want is _funny_ , huh?!"

Dewstrike slowly stopped laughing, and when the last of his chuckles had finally died down, he allowed his lips to curl into a gentle, satisfied smile.

"I want the same thing," he murmured. "I want to have kits with you, Cherryshine."

That was when Cherryshine's face positively _melted_ , and soon enough, she was looking up at him with a tender smile of her own.

"Yeah," she quietly agreed.


End file.
